Improved latch for double doors



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOIINIW STILL, OF sAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVED LATCH FOR DOUBLE DOORS.

Specificationforming part of Letters Patent N0. 97,985, daled December 14, 1869.

To all whom it maj] con-cern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W.` STILL, of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improved Double or Single Latch for Doors; and Ido hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawings are sufficient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use my said `invention or improvements without further invention or experiment.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved latch for doorsjso constructed that it Will operate equally well for either of two i doors which close together, forming a double door.

It consists of an elastic stri p of metal,whioh extends from a shelf' or other point of support out between the doors. u At the end of this spring is a wedge-shaped head', havingits base inward. The doors are slightly cut away on each side of the spring, so that either of them in closing will press on the inclined side of the head and bend the spring to one side till the door passes the head, when the spring returns to its original position, and holds it. Y

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention,

`A and B are two doors, closing toward the center, and forming double` doors, and C is a single door, all heing'arranged on a closet, to illustrate my invention, which consists of a thin elastic stripof metal, D, which, in the case of doors, stands vertically; but it will be seen that its posit-ion is easily changed, as circustances require. In order to fasten this .spring to the shelf or other support E, Fig. 3, it

is passed through one side of a plate of metal, F, bent at an angle, as shown, and fastened to it below.

The spring has a Wedge-shaped head,` G, at such a distance from F that the doors can pass the head before reaching the position they-will Y occupy when closed.

I Each ofthe doors is cut away slightly, as at a, so that in closing either door the spring can give way on the side opposite till the door has passed to its place,wh en the spring returns the head to the center, and the doors are iatched.

In order to Open a door it is only necessary to press the head to one side, andthe door will be free.

I do not claim a double catch when held and made t-o operate by a ring of india-rubber or other elastic material; but

NVhat Ido claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 

